Mentoring Moments: Practical Tools for Mentors Teaching Policy and Standards Branch Issue 5 / February 2012

2 Utilizing Scaling Questions in Debriefing Conversations On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the worst morning you’ve had and 10 being the best, how was this morning for you? Oh a - What made it a 6? How might you bump it up a notch to a 7? (specific ideas) Continue with Coaching stance or shift to Consultant or Collaborator based on needs

3 Utilizing Scaling Questions in Debriefing Conversations Attributes Based ApproachIslands of Competence Ownership resides with the Beginning Teacher Flexibility of Stance & Role

4 Utilizing Scaling Questions in Debriefing Conversations Thinking about both the worst morning you’ve ever had and the best one; how was this morning for you? Oh..the morning was “fine” – Fine sounds better than so so…what made it fine? How might you bump it up to “very fine” (specific ideas) Continue with Coaching stance or shift to Consultant or Collaborator based on needs

5 More Practical Mentoring Strategies StrategyNTIP Mentoring Context Direct Assistance School Orientation / Consultant Stance Demonstration Teaching Observation / Debrief / Action Plan Observation & Conferencing Scaling Questions / Coaching Stance Informal Contact Building Trust & Rapport / Listening Collaboratively Assessing Student Work Moderated Marking / Collaborative Stance Role Modeling Interaction with Colleagues / Students Assistance with Professional Growth Plan Individual NTIP Strategy Form

6 Learning from Mentoring Increases Reflection on Current Practice Fosters Inspirational Connections with Colleagues Impacts Teaching Practice and Learning of Students Orientation Beginning Practice Examination of Practice Experimentation & Application Embedded Practice Intentional Sharing of Knowledge & Practice

7 Ideas and Resources to Support Implementation Feb 23 – Learning at School: Principal Engagement in NTIP and TPA Join our NTIP e-Community and collaborate with your colleagues from across Ontario